Pittsburgh man shocked as his 'Make Racism Wrong Again' apparel draws 'dirty looks', calls city 'most racist place I ever lived'
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA: A Pennsylvania man has gone viral after the anti-Trump apparel he wore to a local Walmart caught the attention of the internet.
In what was a play on the words of President Donald Trump's famous campaign slogan 'Make America Great Again,' Jamal Lewis, 48, of Pittsburgh, printed out a cap and a t-shirt with the slogan 'Make Racism Wrong Again.'
Lewis said he wore the outfit to the Walmart and was shocked at the reaction he received and went on to call western Pennslyvania "one of the most racist places I've ever lived."
"Went to Walmart rocking my Make Racism Wrong Again gear!" he wrote in a Facebook post. " Lol! So many dirty looks. One thing I've learned about living in Western Pennsylvania. It is one of the most racist places I've ever lived."
Lewis said there was a "large amount of open, in-your-face racism" in Pittsburgh and detailed an incident which horrified him even as he was just outside his house.
"One time me and my friend and my kids were sitting on my steps," he wrote. " A white guy walked past with swastika on his arms. And a Make America Great Again hat. Needless to say, I was shocked. In my 48 years on this Earth, that was the first time I've ever seen that."
Many agreed to Lewis' sentiment that Pittsburgh wasn't exactly known for its progressiveness, with one user writing, "I live not far from you. Part of my family has lived in Johnstown since before the 1889 flood. I am disheartened daily by the blatant racism in this area."
Another commented, "Current Pittsburgh resident. The casual racism around here is astonishing and disgusting."
A third said, "I lived in Pittsburgh. There were neighborhoods that were ignorant and racist. There were some that were not and evolved. The difference now is that the President has emboldened the ignorant and racist to freely express themselves so it appears we’ve regressed and their numbers have grown."
Lewis also did concede that he had received a couple of compliments from some of the onlookers at the Walmart, and he was undoubtedly pleased with the reaction his post had garnered.
Several commented and praised him, with some even asking if they could order some 'Make Racism Wrong Again' apparel for themselves.
"How can I get my hands on the shirt and hat! This is amazing!" one said, with another similarly posting, "LOVE IT WANT IT!!!!"
Lewis' 'Make Racism Wrong Again' gear comes in the wake of Trump finding himself mired in yet another controversy.
In response to Rep. Elijah Cummings' comments criticizing the conditions in detention centers along the U.S.-Mexico border, Trump took aim at Baltimore, a part of which the former represents.
In a Twitter rant, the president said Baltimore was a "disgusting, rat and rodent-infested mess" and called it a "very dangerous & filthy place," drawing severe criticism from Democrats and social media users alike.